U.S. patent application number 11/724245 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for method and apparatus for removing a plastic film from packages.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Tobacco Machinery Poland Ltd.. Invention is credited to Marek Sieredzinski.
Application Number | 20070215276 11/724245 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38134629 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070215276 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sieredzinski; Marek |
September 20, 2007 |
Method and apparatus for removing a plastic film from packages
Abstract
Present invention relates to the method and apparatus for
removing a plastic film from packages, where packages covered by
the plastic film are introduced to the first transport path
characterized in that an sorbent (12) is introduced to the second
transport path. Next the sorbent (12) is heated to the flow
temperature of the plastic that is removed, in particular plastics
from the polyolefin's group. Afterwards within the common part of
the first and second transport path (2) of the separating device
the sorbent (12) is mixed with transported packages (11) covered
with a plastic film. A sieve (8) of the separating device directs
sorbent (12) covered by absorbed plastic to the removing path
(6,9), while packages (11) free from plastic film are directed
towards the exit gate (4) of the separating device.
Inventors: |
Sieredzinski; Marek; (Radom,
PL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
International Tobacco Machinery
Poland Ltd.
Radom
PL
|
Family ID: |
38134629 |
Appl. No.: |
11/724245 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/750 ;
156/701; 156/935 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 69/00 20130101;
B65B 69/0066 20130101; Y10T 156/19 20150115; Y10T 156/11
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/344 ;
156/584 |
International
Class: |
B29C 63/00 20060101
B29C063/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 17, 2006 |
PL |
P 379221 |
Claims
1. Method for removing a plastic film, where package covered by the
plastic film is introduced to the first transport path
characterized in that an sorbent (12) is introduced to the second
transport path, further the sorbent (12) is heated to the flow
temperature of the plastic that is removed, in particular plastics
from the polyolefin's group, or to the higher temperature, within
the first common part of the first and second transport path (2) of
the separating device the sorbent (12) is mixed with packages (11)
covered with a plastic film, further a sieve (8) of the separating
device directs sorbent (12) covered by absorbed plastic to the
removing path (6,9), while packages (11) free from plastic film are
directed towards the exit gate (4) of the separating device.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sorbent has
a form of granules of the substance that is wetting by
polyolefines, in particular granules are porous, uniform particles
of metal and/or particles of metal placed within ceramic
substrate.
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sorbent has
a form of uniform or layered granules, in particular metal balls of
a diameter from 0.5 mm to 50 mm.
4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sorbent has
a form of rolls with a working surface covered with a layer of a
porous metal.
5. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that as a sorbent
for direct contact with a plastic that is removed, a polyolefin oxy
catalyst is used.
6. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the material
of sorbent is chosen from a group of materials having better
affinity with a plastic material of the film being removed than
with a package material.
7. Separating apparatus for removing a plastic film comprising
transport path for transporting objects covered with a plastic film
and transport path for transporting a sorbent characterized in that
in the transport path (5, 6, 7, 8) for transporting sorbent (12)
heating means are provided for heating sorbent to the flow
temperature of the plastic material that is removed or to the
higher temperature, and both paths comprise common part for mixing
sorbent (12) with objects (11) covered with a plastic film, the
common part of the transport paths comprises separating means (8)
for separating sorbent and objects free from a plastic film.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] In the industrial process of packaged products production,
packaging is usually made of cardboard (cellulose) covered with
printer's ink or/and other protective and/or decorative coatings.
The next step in the production chain is covering the packaged
product with a plastic film, for example covering a closed package
of cigarettes, herbs, tea or sweets with a plastic film. In
practical applications films made of plastics from the polyolefin
group are used, for example films made of polypropylene. Due to
requirements of the industry uniform films (made of one
material/plastic) and multi-layered films including composite
films, where separate films are made of materials of different
physical and chemical properties, are used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] From the technological and/or marketing reasons there might
be necessary to reject a part or whole series of products. One of
the reasons for this can be failure to pass quality test in a case
of the final product or expiration of the validity date.
[0003] In a case of the products rejected or returned to producer,
it is preferable to recycle main ingredient of the product which is
inside packages. In a case of the cigarettes boxes this is a
tobacco being inside the cigarettes. To extract this ingredient it
is necessary to remove a plastic film covering the packages first,
next it is necessary to remove intermediate packaging, for example
made of cardboard, and finally completely separate this packaging
from the products being inside. Removing a plastic film from the
packages is performed independently in respect to the operation of
opening the cardboard packaging. This is in order to keep the main
product in a complete separation from the particles of a plastic
film.
[0004] The most difficult step in the above described procedure is
removing a plastic film from a package. In the process of removing
a plastic film it is important to remove a film completely and not
to contaminate the main product present within the package neither
chemically for example by vapors products of not complete
combustion and/or pyrolysis of the film, nor by thermal and/or
mechanical degradation, nor by mechanical contamination that make
recycling the main product impossible.
[0005] The main obstacle when removing a plastic film made of
polyolefines, for example with a polypropylene, is constituted by
their mechanical properties, including high shear resistance and
braking resistance as well as chemical resistance for solvents. Due
to amorphous structure, a plastic film covering products under
mechanical processing, for example cutting and/or tearing, brakes
along non regular lines often with a sharp edges, this leads to
creation of inclusion of the small particles of a plastic film in
the main product being recycled. The particles can get to the main
stream of the main product and contaminate this product which makes
further recycling of a main product impossible.
[0006] Within the state of the art, there are known solutions to
the problem of removing a plastic film, however state of the art
solutions are using usually mechanical solutions, for example
cutting a plastic film.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,354 discloses a method and apparatus for
opening a soft cigarette boxes. Apparatus according to this
invention removes a plastic covering a box by cutting the top part
of the box. Next the cut off parts of the box are removed by
appropriate transport means.
[0008] A device for removing a plastic films is a subject of the US
patent application No. 2004/0250670 A1.
[0009] This device for removing comprises a cutting section which
is provided with a heated cutting element. This device is also
based on the principle of using cutting elements and removing cut
off parts of the packages.
[0010] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a
method and apparatus for removing a plastic film from a package,
while keeping a main product inside a package not contaminated by
the particles of the plastic film, not contaminated chemically and
not destroyed by a rapid mechanical process.
[0011] According to the invention it is provided a method for
removing a plastic film, where package covered by the plastic film
is introduced into the first transport path characterized in that
sorbent is introduced into the second transport path, further the
sorbent is heated to the flow temperature of the plastic that is
removed, in particular plastics from the polyolefin's group, or to
the higher temperature. The range of temperature to which the
sorbent is heated is selected individually to the product recycled
and/or materials of the packages, in particular temperature is
selected in respect to physical and chemical properties of the
plastic film that needs to be removed from the package. Next within
the first common part of the first and second transport paths of
the separating device the sorbent is mixed with packages covered
with a plastic film, further a sieve of the separating device
directs sorbent covered with absorbed plastic to the removing path,
while packages free from plastic film are directed towards the exit
gate of the separating device.
[0012] Preferably method according to the invention is
characterized in that a sorbent has a form of granules of the
substance that is wetting by molten polyolefines, in particular
porous metal particles.
[0013] Preferably method according the invention is characterized
in that a sorbent has a form of granules, in particular ceramic
balls and/or ceramic balls covered with a porous metal layer, of a
diameter from 0.5 mm to 50 mm, with maximum porosity.
[0014] Preferably method according to the invention is
characterized in that a sorbent has a form of rolls with a working
surface, i.e. a surface that is in contact with film or package,
that is covered with a layer as described above.
[0015] Preferably method according to the invention is
characterized in that for direct contact with a plastic that is
removed a sorbent in a form of polyolefin oxy catalyst is used, in
particular a low temperature polyolefin oxy catalyst.
[0016] Preferably method according to the invention is
characterized in that the material of sorbent is chosen from a
group comprising materials having better affinity with a plastic
material of plastic film than with a package material.
[0017] Further according to the invention there is provided a
separating apparatus for removing a plastic film, comprising
transport path for transporting objects covered with a plastic film
and transport path for transporting a sorbent characterized in that
within the transport path for transporting sorbent heating means
are provided for heating sorbent to the flow temperature of the
plastic material that is removed or to the higher temperature, and
both transport paths comprise common part for mixing sorbent with
objects covered with a plastic film, the common part of the
transport paths comprises separating means for separating sorbent
and objects free from a plastic film.
[0018] Method according to the invention is particularly preferable
in applications which require a dry processing of a main material,
i.e. in processes without contact with liquids, and where high
purity of the recycled product is required. Method according to the
invention is not putting a main product under heavy mechanical
conditions, further in the method according to the invention the
main product is not contaminated with a chemical product being a
side effect of not full combustion nor pyrolyzis. Limiting sorbet's
temperature in the common part of the transport path to the range
of the flowing temperature of the plastic being separated from
package allows safe removing a plastic film from a package.
[0019] Preferably sorbent can be recycled itself, when the absorbed
material, for example polyolefines, is removed from the sorbent
surface and further eliminated from the process, afterwards sorbent
can reach appropriate technical process parameters and can be
returned to the main process.
[0020] Preferably a sorbent is a catalyst with a working
temperature i.e. temperature at which a plastic is oxidized, higher
than temperature of flowing for example polyolefines/polypropylene
of which a film covering a package is made of.
[0021] It is particularly preferably when recycling of the sorbent
in carried out in a sorbtion phase, when a sorbent is a low
temperature oxidation catalyst for polyolefines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0022] The subject matter of the invention has been described below
in a preferable embodiment with relation to the drawing at which
device according to the invention has been presented in an
isometric view.
[0023] In the device presented at the drawing, packages comprising
tobacco products (11) and covered with a plastic film are thrown or
in other way introduced through an inlet (1). The process part (2)
of the device comprises transport means (3) forcing a transport of
the packages (11) and sorbent (12) inside the device. In the
embodiment presented, the transport means (11) is a feeding
screw.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] Next, inside the device within the transport unit (2)
packages (11) are mixed with a sorbent (12). When the sorbent (12)
moves in relation to the packages and due to their movement within
the process part (2) of the device forced by the transport unit
(3), and due to the better affinity of the plastic with a sorbent
than with a package, plastic cover is removed from the packages and
is absorbed at the sorbent surface. Sorbent with absorbed plastic
film is removed from the device, for example by sieve (8), and
transported to the regenerator (6) where the plastic is removed
from the granules' surface (sorbent surface) and regeneration of
its surface allowing reuse of the sorbent and removing plastic film
in a next process cycle. Sorbent granules (12) are further
transported by the arrangement of transporting means (5) and
returned to the process into the device (2) via inlet and/or
dispenser (7)
[0025] After separating sorbent granules, packages (11) are
transported further and leave the process part of the device (2)
through outlet and/or dispenser (4)
[0026] When it is necessary inside the regenerator (6) there can be
run a pyrolysis of the plastic removed from the packages. The gas
exhaust (9) allows control over a working environment inside the
device. In the same way gas exhaust (10) allows control and
preserving a preferable working environment inside process part (2)
of the device.
* * * * *